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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23450491">two godlike paladins walk into a bar</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/serenbach/pseuds/serenbach'>serenbach</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>A Paladin's Path [8]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Pillars of Eternity</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Friendship, Gen, written pre-deadfire</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 14:15:46</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>832</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23450491</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/serenbach/pseuds/serenbach</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Pellegina comes to terms with being expelled from the Brotherhood, and has a drink with a friend.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Pallegina mes Rèi &amp; The Watcher</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>A Paladin's Path [8]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2218698</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>two godlike paladins walk into a bar</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I wrote this long before Pellegina becoming a Kind Wayfarer got retconned, but I'm still a little sad about it as I liked the idea of Nelda and Pellegina being Paladin Pals. </p><p>Originally written for a pillars prompt weekly event, the prompts were Pellegina, water and loyalty. </p><p>Featuring my dwarf moon godlike Watcher.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Pellegina walked back to the <em>Goose and Fox, </em>her head bowed, for once not seeing the eyes following her feathered head as she trudged back to the inn to meet the Watcher.</p><p>Nelda was sat at a table, glass of wine in front of her, her head in a book, brows furrowed as she read. At the sudden hush when Pellegina entered, before the general hubbub restarted, she looked up towards the door.</p><p>Nelda’s glowing eyes widened hopefully. “How did it go?” she asked, closing her book and signalling for another glass of wine.</p><p>Pellegina shook her head, and Nelda’s face fell.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” she said, reaching across to squeeze her hand.</p><p>“It is not your doing,” Pellegina answered, more casually than she felt. “I went against the ducs’ wishes. It is only right for them to expel me from the Brotherhood.”</p><p>The bartender brought over another glass, placing it in front of her. She nodded her thanks. “Could you leave the bottle, please?” Nelda asked him with a smile, before turning her attention back to Pellegina.</p><p>“Even so,” Nelda said, “it’s not fair for them to dismiss you like that – you were only thinking of what was best for Vailian interests…”</p><p>“They do not see it that way,” Pellegina answered, picking up her glass and draining it.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” Nelda said again, looking miserable, and Pellegina shook her head.</p><p>“You encouraged me only to follow my conscience,” Pellegina answered. “The rest was my choice, and I am paying for it. I’m no longer a paladin.”</p><p>She stared into the empty glass, before abruptly filling it and draining it again. Being a member of the <em>Frermas mes Canc Suolias </em>was the only time she had ever felt like she belonged somewhere, where her strangeness was not remarked upon, and valued for more than her apparent blessingby Hylea.</p><p>Blessing. Pellegina snorted, shaking her head. She’d never seen it as such, even before she had spoken to her, before they had learned the truth of the gods.</p><p>Nelda quirked an eyebrow at her. “What’s so funny?”</p><p>“Don’t you ever get tired of all this?” she asked, gesturing around at the pub, where they were attracting more attention than two women having a quiet drink warranted. Pellegina knew that the reason for the stares were her feathers and golden eyes, and Nelda’s glowing crescent-shaped horns and blue skin, and she felt the frustration of their apparent fascination settle like a knotted weight in her stomach.    </p><p>“Sometimes,” Nelda admitted, rubbing her wrists where she had once worn manacles, enslaved by pirates because her supposed blessing from Ondra was believed to bring good luck to sailors. That so-called gift had given her nothing but scars and a terrible fear of deep water. Pellegina didn’t think she was aware she was doing it. “I definitely know how you feel.”</p><p>Her Brotherhood armour had felt like protection from the stares. She didn’t know how she would get on without it. She sighed and emptied the last of the bottle into her glass.</p><p>As she did, Nelda got up and ordered another bottle from the bar. She plonked it down on the table, and announced “I ordered us pie, too,” in a deliberately cheerful voice.</p><p>Pellegina tried to smile back at her, and couldn’t quite manage it. “Thank you.”</p><p>“So, what are we going to do?” Nelda asked. “Do you want me to argue your case with the ducs?”</p><p>That did make Pellegina smile. “If anyone could, it would be you, my friend. But no. It seems I must seek out a new profession.”</p><p>“Not necessarily,” Nelda replied, looking thoughtful. “I know my order would be pleased to have you.”</p><p>“The Kind Wayfarers?” Pellegina said in surprise. It had never occurred to her that she might be able to join another paladin order.</p><p>“There’s not much glory,” Nelda admitted with a wry grin. “But, there’s no politics either.”</p><p>“Well, that’s something,” Pellegina answered with a laugh.</p><p>The bartender served them their pie, and for a while there was silence while they tucked in.</p><p>“I don’t know how I feel about joining another order,” Pellegina said, when her meal was half done. “I still feel a part of my old one.”</p><p>Nelda nodded understandingly. “You don’t have to decide anything now,” she replied. “You can stay in Caed Nua as long as you need. I’d be pleased to have you.”</p><p>“Thank you,” Pellegina answered, genuinely touched.</p><p>“And if you do want to try out being a Wayfarer, I offered to protect a trade caravan on the way home,” she added with an impish smile.</p><p>“Isn’t that how this whole mess started?” Pellegina asked dryly and Nelda threw back her head and laughed and laughed until Pellegina couldn’t stop herself from joining in.</p><p>Pellegina, for once, didn’t care about all the people staring at them. She knew that whatever she decided, whether she joined the Kind Wayfarers or not, she would stand with her friend, wherever and whenever she needed her.</p>
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